When you think about grabbing lunch at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it’s easy to default to the bigger quick-service restaurants like Backlot Express, ABC Commissary or even Docking Bay 7 in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. On a recent visit, though, I wanted to branch out and try something different. Fairfax Fare has been serving its signature waffle bowls for a few years now, but somehow I’d always walked right past it. It was finally time to see whether these unique meat-and-potato bowls were worth adding to my Hollywood Studios lunch rotation, as well as recommending to you for your next Disney trip!
Fairfax Fare Atmosphere
Fairfax Fare is part of Sunset Ranch Market, a collection of quick-service dining locations along Sunset Boulevard. The location has a casual outdoor market feel, and while you’re eating, you’ll occasionally hear the distant screams of guests dropping down The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror just across the way…
One thing to know before you order: all of the seating is outdoors. There are umbrella-covered picnic tables and a larger covered seating area shared with the neighboring food stands, but you’re still dining outside.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a new lineup of Halloween-inspired treats, and last week, Ryan Clavin and I stopped by to try them out.
The Menu
Here’s a look at the current menu at Fairfax Fare:
For those 21+, they also have several canned beverages available, as well as some draft beers:
On a recent visit, I tried two of the bowls and paired them with a Lagunitas IPA, which worked pretty nicely!
Buffalo Chicken Bowl | $14.49
Featuring chicken breast nuggets tossed in buffalo sauce, topped with coleslaw, and served over mashed potatoes inside a waffle bowl.
One thing the menu doesn’t mention is that the coleslaw has a subtle blue cheese flavor, which pairs really well with the buffalo sauce and the crunchy veggies. Of the two bowls we tried, this was easily my favorite.
If you’re a buffalo fan, this dish actually brings the heat. It isn’t over-the-top spicy, but it definitely has a kick! The chicken was juicy on it’s own, and is then drenched in sauce, while the coleslaw helped balance the spice and added a nice crunch.
The mashed potatoes were the surprise star for me. These are real mashed potatoes, complete with pieces of potato skin mixed throughout. Creamy, buttery, and well seasoned, they honestly tied the whole bowl together.
I’d happily order this one again… just maybe during one of Florida’s cooler months!
Korean Barbecued Pork Belly Bowl | $15.29
Featuring braised pork belly tossed in Korean barbecue sauce with coleslaw and green onions, all served over the same mashed potatoes in a waffle bowl.
The pork belly was tender with a rich, slightly sweet barbecue sauce that coated each bite. There was a good balance of lean and fatty pieces, giving it that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture you’d expect from pork belly (but maybe not from a quick-service location!).
Like the Buffalo Chicken Bowl, the mashed potatoes were excellent and made this feel like classic comfort food with a fun presentation.
Final Thoughts
I’m glad I finally gave Fairfax Fare a try after walking past it for so long! If you’re looking to switch things up from the usual Hollywood Studios quick-service spots, this is an easy recommendation. The menu is small, but both bowls were well prepared, and the Buffalo Chicken Bowl is one I’ll definitely be ordering again!
At the end of the meal, you’re left with mashed potatoes lining the inside of a sugar waffle bowl. I’m still not entirely sure why it works, but it does. Maybe it’s the contrast between the lightly sweet waffle and the savory potatoes. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of Willy Wonka biting into his edible teacup after taking a few sips first… Either way, it’s a unique presentation that is also delicious — if you wish to bite into the bowl towards the end.
— Photo: Disney
That said, these aren’t light lunches. Between the mashed potatoes, generous portions of meat, and the waffle bowl, they’re filling enough that you may even want to split one with someone else. If you’re visiting during the peak of an Orlando summer, I’d also consider saving Fairfax Fare for a later lunch or early dinner rather than tackling one in the middle of a hot afternoon. While there are covered seating areas at Sunset Ranch Market, you’re still dining outdoors, and a heavier meal can feel even heavier when the heat index is pushing triple digits. For the right time of day, though, Fairfax Fare is well worth a stop!
